Well pipe seal

ABSTRACT

The disclosure is of a seal to be used in a well immediately above a pump and at or below the normal level of the water in the well casing to prevent the movement of water and air downwardly past the seal into the area of the pump. The seal is designed to permit the necessary service connections to be passed through it and then adjusted to tightly seal about these connections before installation of the seal in the well.

United States Patent Smedley [54] WELL PIPE SEAL [72] Inventor: WilliamL. Smedley, 245 Graham Road N.W., Grand Rapids, Mich. 49504 [22] Filed:July 24, 1969 21 Appl. No.: 844,333

[52] US. CL... ..277/212, 166/106 [51] Int. Cl ..Fl6j 9/08, F16j 15/32[58] fieldofSearch ..277/212 R,212 C; 166/106, 166/202; 285/137 [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,318,352 10/1919 Cameron et al..277/212 C 1,851,940 3/1932 Williams ....285/l37 R 1,871,867 8/1932Walker ....166/202 X Mar. 7, 1972 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS215,239 5/1961 Austria ..277/212C 1,157,216 12/1957 France...

Primary Examiner-Samue1 B. Rothberg Attorney-Price, l'leneveld, Huizenga& Cooper [57] ABSTRACT The disclosure is of a seal to be used in a wellimmediately above a pump and at or below the normal level of the waterin the well casing to prevent the movement of water and air downwardlypast the seal into the area of the pump. The seal is designed to permitthe necessary service connections to be passed through it and thenadjusted to tightly seal about these connections before installation ofthe seal in the well.

7 Claims, 16 Drawing Figures PATENTEUMAR 7 I972 may, m

SHEET 2 BF Q6 HR: /2

[VAL/4W 4. 50750561 I N VEN TOR.

WELL PIPE SEAL SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION With the development ofsatisfactory small diameter motors, the popularity of submersible pumpshas been increasing rapidly in recent years. These pumps are mounted onthe end of the water delivery pipe and lowered into a well usuallyseveral feet below the top of the water as the level of the waternormally establishes itself by natural hydrostatic pressure. It has beencommon practice either to provide nothing adjacent the pump or toprovide a stabilizing ring which is nothing more that a guide to centerthe pump in the well. In this arrangement, as the pump turns on and off,the level of the water in the well fluctuates substantially in responseto the relationship between the rate at which the pump is withdrawingwater from the casing and the rate at which water is flowing into theeasing from the surrounding water table. This has a number ofundesirable effects.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a seal immediately above thepump and below the normal surface of the water in the casing. The sealforms a barrier between the pump and that portion of the casing which isabove the seal. The seal also is designed to permit the passage ofvarious service or utility lines and/or conduits through it and 'to forma tight seal around these lines before installation. These utility linesinclude the electric wires to power the pump and a conduit which may beused to measure the static and draw down water levels or to introdueetreatment chemicals into the water, such as chlorine for purification oracid for removal of line incrustations. The

seal has the added advantage of preventing well contamination frommaterials which enter the casing above and normally would reach thewater if the seal were not present. The use of the seal also reducescorrosion on the inside of the casing and ont he pipe.

These and other advantages of the invention will be understood uponreading the following specification and the accompanying drawings.

IN "fl-IE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a side elevation view of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, central sectional view of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a typical conduit openingbefore the seal is clamped about the conduit;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but showing the relationship of theseal to the conduit after the seal has been clamped;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing a modified form of the sealprior to clamping;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the effect of the clamping ofthe plates about the seal;

FIG. 8 illustrates diagrammatically a typical well installation when thepresent invention is not used;

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic view similar to FIG. 8, but showing the resultof installation of this invention;

FIG. 10 illustrates an alternative method of sealing about one of theservice conduits;

FIG. 11 is a sectional elevation view of a modification of thisinvention;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a modification in theconstruction of the sealing member;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a further modification of the invention;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary, enlarged section view taken along the planeXIV-XIV of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged, fragmentary, exploded view of a furthermodification of this invention;

FIG. 16 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view of the structureshown in FIG. 15 when the seal has been clamped into sealingrelationship.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The seal I0 has a central pipenipple ll threaded on both ends, the diameter of which will depend uponthe capacity of the pump with which it is to be utilized. Surroundingthe nipple I1 are a pair of annular, disklike plates, a lower plate I2and an upper plate 13. The lower plate 12 is sealed to the nipple 11 bywelding at 14. The upper plate 13 is slidable with respect to the nipple11 so that it may move lengthwise of the nipple. Between the plates 12and 13 is an annular, sealing member or gasket 15. In the form of theinvention shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, this gasket has a diametersubstantially greater than that of either of the plates 12 and 13 andalso greater than the inside diameter of the well casing 16 (FIG. 3). Asa result, when the seal is installed in the casing, the peripheral edgeof the seal is forced to compress and turn upwardly and ride along theinside wall of the casing, forming a sealing skirt 17 at this point. Topermit this reshaping of the seal or gasket. the upper plate 13 is oflesser diameter than the lower plate I2 to provide clearance for theupturned skirt.

The seal can be made from any suitable flexible material resistant todeterioration in the environment of use. A suitable material for thispurpose is a synthetic rubber material of about 60 Durometer sold byGoodyear Tire & Rubber Company under the name Armadillo Chute Lining.This material has been successfully used in both three-sixteenths inchand one-fourth inch thicknesses. This material has proved durable,sufficient body to effectively seal with the casing and a high degree ofabrasive resistance which eliminates failure due to wear as the seal isforced down the casing.

At least three holes 20 are provided through the plates I2 and 13 andthe gasket 15 (FIG. 2) to receive the bolts 21 (FIG. 1). By tighteningthe bolts, the plates are made to clamp the gasket 15 and to cause it todeflect as a result of being squeezed. Additional openings or apertures22 are provided for the electrical conductors for the pump. A serviceopening 23 is preferably provided for a conduit which may be used for avariety of purposes, such, for example, as to introduce chemicals intothe water around the pump.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate one way of forming a seal about the conductors.Before the bolts 21 are tightened, the opening or aperture 22 is ofsufficient size to permit the conductor to be passed through assuggested in FIG. 4. Preferably, the conductor or cable has a lightfriction fit with the gasket I5 and a slight clearance with the holes inthe plates l2 and 13. FIG. 5 illustrates the deflection of the gasket 15when the plates 12 and 13 squeeze it as a result of tightening of thebolts 21. The pressure exerted by the plates causes the gasket todeflect inwardly and form a seal around the conductor 24.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a modification of this arrangement. In thisarrangement, the gasket 15 is so formed that in its natural relaxedposition it projects into the aperture 22 to partially restrict it, butbeing resilient, the conductor 24 can be pushed through it before theplates are clamped. After the plates are clamped, it is caused tosqueeze both up and down and inwardly to form a long, tight seal aboutthe conductor as suggested in FIG. 7. Basically the same situationoccurs in connection with the aperture 23 for the service conduit.

A modification of this arrangement is shown in FIG. I0 in which a smallnipple 25 is secured to one of the plates and provides a threadedmounting for a gland nut 26 to surround either a conductor 24 or aservice conduit 27.

FIG. II illustrates a modification of this invention in which all of thecomponents of the seal assembly remain the same except the gasket 15a,which in this case is cup-shaped, even before it is inserted in thecasing. Thus, the edges of the gasket are turned upwardly to form aflange 30, having an outside diameter slightly greater than that of thecasing whereby, when the seal is installed in the casing, the flange 30is slightly compressed to assure positive sealing pressure andengagement with the walls of the casing. It has been found that thesealing effect against the casing can be materially improved byproviding one or more slits 31 extending around the flange and partiallythrough the thickness of the gasket. Preferably, one of these is closelyadjacent the top of the flange. These slits are parallel to each otherand to the top of the flange. FIG. 12 shows another arrangement whereinthe slit 31a opens through the outside face of the flange at the verytop of the flange 15b. The purpose of the slits is to give the flangemore flexibility so that it may deflect outwardly in the casing toconform to irregularities in the inside wall such as occur at the weldedseam in the pipe. Frequently, this seam has a slight depression on theinside of the pipe which will not seal unless the flange of the gaskethas a reasonable degree of flexibility to deflect into and occupy thedepression formed by the seam. In some cases, the sealing affect canalso be improved by chamfering the end of the flange as at 32 to providea thin, flexible edge at the outside end of the flange which will flexreadily against the wall of the casing.

FIG. 13 shows a further modification in which an elongated aperture 40is provided through the seal assembly. This opening is specificallydesigned to receive the flat-type, two or three wire electricalconductor to supply energy to the pump. In case it is not used, it isprovided with a sealing cap 41 and a flexible, squeezeable seal 42 whichare assembled to the lower plate 12 by the screws 43. If opening 40 isto be used, the plate 41 and seal 42 are removed, the wire passedthrough and when the plates 12 and 13 are squeezed together, a seal willbe formed around the wire, basically as illustrated in FIGS. 4-7. Inthis arrangement, the apertures 22 may either be sealed by bolts passingthrough them and pulled down tightly or they may be omitted in theirentirety. Another possibility is to occupy the apertures 22 with a shortlength of the conduit 27 heat sealed at the upper end as suggested at 28in FIG. 10. The same is true of the opening 23.

FIGS. 15 and I6 illustrate a modified arrangement for sealing around theconductors 24 or the conduit 27 or around any wire which is utilized inthe slotted opening 40. In this case, the opening in the gasket or seal[c is enlarged and a grommet 50 is pressed into this opening. Thegrommet 50 has a central opening just big enough to permit the conductoror conduit to be passed through it. The ends of the grommet are conicalin shape and project from both the upper and lower faces of the seal150. Thus, when the plates 12 and 13 are clamped down on the seal c, thegrommet 50 is axially squeezed, resulting in a very pronounced inwarddeflection forcing the grommet to form a very tight grip and seal aroundanything passing through its central opening. This arrangement isillustrated in FIG. 16. The tapered ends of the grommet produce forceswhich result in very tight sealing, both around whatever is passedthrough the opening and between the grommet and the gasket.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate the application of this invention. FIG. 8illustrates the conventional arrangement in which the pipe 55 extendsdown through the casing 16 and has the pump 56 mounted at its lower endand submerged well below the surface 57 of the water. FIG. 9 illustratesthe application of this invention. By static pressure, the surface 57 isestablished by the top 58 of the water table in the surrounding waterbearing strata 59. The seal is positioned immediately above the pump asillustrated in FIGS. 3 and 9. In fact, the nipple ll of the seal forms acoupling between the discharge end of the pump and the pipe 56. Theelectrical connections for the pump are installed and any other serviceconnection such as a conduit passing through the opening 23 isinstalled. The bolts 21 are then tightened on the seal to form a waterand air tight seal around the wires and the conduit. The pump, seal andpipe are then forced down the well until the pump is fully submerged andthe seal is either at or below the surface 57 of the water in the well.In this operation, normally water will pass around the seal up into thearea above the seal in the casing, even though this is not illustratedin FIG. 9. However, any water which is in the casing above the seal isautomatically trapped and cannot return past the seal into the areaoccupied by the pump.

In an installation as illustrated in FIG. 8, the pumping action of thepump normally causes the water level within the casing to drop,sometimes to such an extent that the pump itself ends up above thesurface of the water and air may enter the pump, interrupting properpumping action. This occurs when the rate of water flow through thescreens from the surrounding water bearing strata 59 is insufficient toadequately supply the pump, at the rate at which it is withdrawing waterfrom the casing. This is a situation which frequently occurs. When thewell is fortunate enough to penetrate a thick water bearing strata, thepump may be submerged deeply enough to avoid this problem. However,frequently, the water bearing strata is too thin or shallow to permitsufficient submersion of the pump to prevent draw down which willinterfere with pump operation. It is in this situation that the sealovercomes a vexing problem which has never before been solved.

Even in wells having adequate capacity to supply the pump, the waterlevel within the casing drops significantly when the pump is operatedand returns to its normal level when the pump stops. Every time thewater moves up and down in the casing, it exposes both the wet casingand the wet exterior of the pipe to oxidation resulting in accelerateddeterioration of both the casing and the pipe. The seal holds the waterlevel constant, eliminating this condition.

With this seal, when the pump is started, any water which is above theseal cannot be drawn down into the pump area and, therefore, remainsstatic. As a result, the reduced static pressure inside the casingcreated by the action of the pump, instead of drawing water from abovein the casing, draws water from the water table through the screens intothe pump and thereby materially increases the rate at which water can beeffectively withdrawn from the well. The seal positively prevents airfrom reaching the pump to interrupt its operation. The seal prevents anywater in the area above the seal from fluctuating due to the action ofthe pump, thus, reducing the corrosive affect of oxidation.

It will seen that any contamination which enters the casing from abovewill ultimately be deposited in the water in the arrangement shown inFIG. 8. On the other hand, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the seal forms acomplete barrier preventing any such contamination from reaching thewater which will be lifted by the pump.

It is not usual that well water, either when the well is first broughtin or in some cases throughout the life of the well, has to be treatedbefore it is safe and potable. This is frequently done by controlledintroduction of a suitable treatment chemical to the water, such aschlorine. By running a tube down the outside of the pipe 55 and passingit through the seal, as shown in FIG. 10, chlorine can be introduced tothe water immediately adjacent the pump where it will be most effective.Further, in purging a well, the chlorine can be forced down underpressure and, thus, made to thoroughly dissipate throughout the water inthe casing to clean and purify both the water and the mechanicalinstallation before the well is finally put to use. This conduit alsopermits acid treatment of a well without undue damage to the casing andpipe. In many areas. the delivery capacity of a well is materiallyrestricted by the deposit of lime on the screen and related parts of thewell. This can be removed by an acid treatment of the well. However,such acid treatments tend to remove the galvanizing from the inside ofthe casing and the exterior of the well pipe in areas where theacidified water comes incontact with these members. By providing theseal 10, the acid can be introduced through the conduit27 under pressureand can be confined to the area of the pump and the screen where itsaction is required and prevented from attacking the casing and the pipeabove the seal. Further, by confining the acid treatment, more rapid andmore effective treatment can be accomplished.

By virtue of the existence of the seal, the conduit 27 may be utilizedas a means of accurately checking the static and draw down of the waterlevels to determine the actual delivery capacity of the well. The sealhas the incidental benefit of further stabilizing and centering the pumpin the well.

It will be recognized that while a preferred embodiment and severalmodifications of the invention have been illustrated and described,additional modifications may be made within the principal of theinvention.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows.

1. A well seal for submersible pumps installed below water level in awell casing, said seal comprising an upper plate and a lower plate; anannular compressible sealing gasket between said plates; said gasketbeing circular and having an outside diameter greater than said platesand adapted to become cupshaped upon insertion in the well casing; apipe rigidly connected to and forming a watertight seal with one of saidplates and extending through said gasket and the other of said platesand projecting both above and below said plates, said pipe beingconcentric of said plates and gasket; at least one aperture in each ofsaid plates and said gasket, said apertures being aligned for passagetherethrough of an energy conductor for the pump; means for moving saidplates toward each other to compress said gasket and cause it to migrateinto the energy conductor aperture to form a watertight seal about aconductor passing therethrough.

2. A well seal as described in claim 1 wherein said pipe is rigidlyconnected to the lower of said plates.

3. A well seal as described in claim 1 wherein said aperture in saidgasket is larger than the aligned apertures in said plates; acompressible grommet larger than the aligned apertures in said platesseated in said aperture in said gasket having a central openingtherethrough smaller than the aligned apertures in said plates.

4. A well seal as described in claim 3 wherein said grommet has an axiallength greater than the thickness of said gasket whereby said grommet iscompressed both radially and axially as said plates are moved towardeach other to increase the sealing effect about a conductor passingtherethrough.

5. A well seal as described in claim 4 wherein the ends of said grommetprojecting beyond the faces of said gasket are frustoconical in shapewith the ends thereof sloped radially inwardly and away from the facesof said gasket.

6. A well seal as described in claim 1 wherein each of said plates andsaid gasket has a second aperture therethrough, said apertures beingaligned to receipt a water treatment conduit therethrough.

7. A seal as described in claim 1 wherein the peripheral edge of saidgasket is chamfered downwardly and inwardly to provide a narrow lipadjacent the lower face of said gasket.

1. A well seal for submersible pumps installed below water level in awell casing, said seal comprising an upper plate and a lower plate; anannular compressible sealing gasket between said plates; said gasketbeing circular and having an outside diameter greater than said platesand adapted to become cup-shaped upon insertion in the well casing; apipe rigidly connected to and forming a watertight seal with one of saidplates and extending through said gasket and the other of said platesand projecting both above and below said plates, said pipe beingconcentric of said plates and gasket; at least one aperture in each ofsaid plates and said gasket, said apertures being aligned for passagetherethrough of an energy conductor for the pump; means for moving saidplates toward each other to compress said gasket and cause it to migrateinto the energy conductor aperture to form a watertight seal about aconductor passing therethrough.
 2. A well seal as described in claim 1wherein said pipe is rigidly connected to the lower of said plates.
 3. Awell seal as described in claim 1 wherein said aperture in said gasketis larger than the aligned apertures in said plates; a compressiblegrommet larger than the aligned apertures in said plates seated in saidaperture in said gasket having a central opening therethrough smallerthan the aligned apertures in said plates.
 4. A well seal as describedin claim 3 wherein said grommet has an axial length greater than thethickness of said gasket whereby said grommet is compressed bothradially and axially as said plates are moved toward each other toincrease the sealing effect about a conductor passing therethrough.
 5. Awell seal as described in claim 4 wherein the ends of said grommetprojecting beyond the faces of said gasket are frustoconical in shapewith the ends thereof sloped radially inwardly and away from the facesof said gasket.
 6. A well seal as described in claim 1 wherein each ofsaid plates and said gasket has a second aperture therethrough, saidapertures being aligned to receipt a water treatment conduittherethrough.
 7. A seal as described in claim 1 wherein the peripheraledge of said gasket is chamfered downwardly and inwardly to provide anarrow lip adjacent the lower face of said gasket.